It is common practice for software suppliers to set up help desks so that users of the software can seek help to diagnose and solve computer software and hardware problems. In most instances, these help desks are accessible only by telephone over a public switched telephone network (PSTN). In order to gain access to the help desks, users with computer problems dial special toll free numbers to connect to the help desk and then convey information concerning the computer problems to the help desk either by voice or by DTMF dialing signals. This has limited the effectiveness of these help desks.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,667 discloses a system for performing remote computer system diagnostic tests. A user requiring assistance calls a help desk representative via a telephone. The representative in turn creates a case file on a help desk computer. The case file includes the modem number to the user's computer, call and computer identification information. The representative also selects diagnostic tests to be run on the user's computer based on the verbal information given to the representative by the user. The representative then creates a batch job which causes the help desk computer to connect to the user's computer and instruct the user's computer to run the diagnostic tests. The telephone and computer connections between the user and the representative are then broken. When the diagnostic tests have been completed by the user's computer, the user's computer reconnects with the help desk computer and reports the results of the diagnostic tests. The representative after reviewing the results of the diagnostic tests, telephones the user and provides recommendations to solve the user's computer problems.
Help desk software has also been developed for use on local area networks (LANs) to allow a technician to diagnose and solve problems on a remote computer. For example "NETmanager" available from Brightwork Software allows a computer on a LAN to access the screen and control the keyboard of another computer on the LAN where a user of the computer is experiencing problems. This allows the technician to help remotely the user in an attempt to solve the user's computer problems.
Although help desks exist to diagnose and solve computer problems, the design of conventional help desks has limited the extent to which help can be provided to a user. Accordingly, improved help desks are desired. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel web based help desk, a novel help desk web page and a novel method of providing support to a user computer at a remote location.